


he's still here

by sweetsindle



Category: Alice Madness Returns, American McGee's Alice
Genre: Alice and Nicola may or may not have a thing, Alice wishes on a star, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Eve, Christmas Lonliness, Dr. Angus Bumby - mentioned, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, It's Alice's first Christmas on her own and Cheshire comes to visit, Lizzie Liddell - mentioned, Nicola is somewhere around Alice's age, Original Character(s), Other, Romance if you squint, Takes place after Alice:Otherlands, her wish is granted in the form of a real Cheshire, his daughter is eight-year-old Elenara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21876496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetsindle/pseuds/sweetsindle
Summary: ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛᴍᴀꜱ ᴇᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ɪꜱ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜱɪɴᴄᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴅᴇᴘᴀʀᴛᴜʀᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴜɴᴅꜱɴɪᴛᴄʜ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴡᴀʏᴡᴀʀᴅ ʏᴏᴜᴛʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜᴍʙʏ'ꜱ ᴅᴇꜰᴇᴀᴛ.ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ɪꜱ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ʙɪᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴇʀ ʟᴏꜱꜱᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴇᴍɪɴɢʟʏ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ-ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ʟᴏɴᴇʟɪɴᴇꜱꜱ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴄʜᴇꜱʜɪʀᴇ ᴅʀᴏᴘꜱ ʙʏ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪꜱᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴛᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ.
Relationships: Cheshire Cat & Alice Liddell (American McGee's Alice)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	he's still here

**Author's Note:**

> A heart-wrenching, cutesy Alice fic for Christmas time! 
> 
> I always like to imagine that after the events the games (and subsequently Otherlands) Alice tries to go back to a semi-normal life, and even though she accepted that nothing's her fault, and she had the chance to right all her wrongs (avenged her family, killed Bumby, and saved the children) she's still very unhappy and it's hard for her to make many kinds of friends.
> 
> So I thought, why not give her a little family? And Cheshire comes into the picture - but this time, he's here to stay and doesn't plan on returning to Wonderland.

A sparkly, crystalline flake floated across a rather busy marketplace, with people of all kinds and classes running about - until it landed on the nose of a certain unsuspecting Alice Liddell.

The woman, Alice, let out a tiny gasp as her eyes narrowed to the tip of her chilled noes, noticing the glittery thing. "Winter really is in full effect, isn't it?" she asked to no one in particular, before carefully wiping the snowflake off. "I've never seen such perfect snow!" she mused, laughing, as she watched a few hyperactive kids push past a couple of unsuspecting adults, their smiles bright and arms full of the milky-white stuff _'Am I surprised, though? it is Christmas Eve...'_

"I sure do feel bad for whoever's getting a back-full of that!" She mumbled with a giggle, rushing past the enlarging crowd to avoid getting squished in the mass of people shopping for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

Alice continued down the cobblestone street, hands in the pockets of her old, ratty, cherry-red pea coat that had been given to her by her former night nurse, Nurse Witless. Feeling a rather chilly draft of wind seemingly go right through her skin, she groaned in annoyance. 'I swear to God, when I finally have enough coins after rent, I'm buying myself a new coat, straight away! This is no way to bloody live - any more days out here for long periods in this ugly thing, and I'll be sicker than a dog!'

Noticing a dangerous crack in her path, she sighed softly. She gathered up enough energy to jump over it before continuing on her way. 'I know it's cold now, Alice, but you can make it! Only five more minutes, and you'll be out of the cold!'

"Miss Alice? Oh, Alice! Is that you!"

Alice's emerald green eyes widened in surprise upon hearing her name being called out so...so casually...and so friendly? 

The woman spun around, looking somewhat confused until she met the gaze of eleven-year-old Charlie Carter and five-year-old Abigale Baker.

Two children who she immediately recognized from her old job at the Houndsitch Home for Wayward Youth. 

"Y-You...you two? My, my, what are you two doing out here?" Alice sputtered, trying to wrap her head around why they were talking to her. 

I mean, she wasn't angry by any means that they were, she was just...confused. I mean, shouldn't they be back at the orphanage that they were sent to _(a significantly nicer one, might I add)_ since Bumby's untimely demise? 

Did they manage to get adopted already?

Did they run away?

Were they all alright, getting enough to eat?

"Are you doing, alright? Is that coat enough for you, Abigale? Do you have the proper shoes on, Charlie?" She asked, taking a knee in front of the two so they were at eye-level. "You two getting treated right, as you ought to?"

The two children looked at each other and then back at her.

Abigale giggled softly and nodded as Charlie gave her a familiar grin. 

"Uh-huh! We got adopted by some mighty nice folks, yes we did!" The girl told her, tucking a strand of straw-colored hair behind a pale ear.

"It's amazing, Alice! They're really nice to us, and nothin' like those creepy men Dr. Bumby took us to see, not at all! We get three meals a day, snacks, we go to school and -"

"We get toys!" Abigale chimed in suddenly, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Alice chuckled, shrugging softly. "That's wonderful! I'm thrilled you two were able to find good people that you can call mum and dad...you all didn't deserve what you had going on with Bumby." She said, getting up. 

She sighed, looking herself over, realizing all the snow and slush that had gotten on her, and shook her head. "As nice as this weather is, I swear to God I'm going to go crazy if I get another pie-sized clump of snow on me, again..." 

"You mean even crazier than you already are? -"

"Abby!" Charlie scolded, playfully hitting the younger girl in the back of her head with the end of his palm. "That's not very nice, apologize to Miss Alice!"

Alice sighed softly, shaking her head as he gave the two kids a semi-annoyed yet sympathetic look. "No, no, it's fine. But thanks, Charlie. It means a lot that you would stand up for me," the young woman told the older boy. "Anyway, what are you two doing here, all out and about on Christmas Eve? Surely your not just here for fun. Getting something for tomorrow?"

Abigale nodded enthusiastically, grinning as she pointed to a woman with chocolate-brown hair and welcoming blue eyes, wearing a rather lovely forest-green dress. "Mhm-hm! See her? She's our Mummy! We're here to get sweets for our cousins."

"She says we have a lot, and we're really excited to meet me', yes we are! Right, Abby?"

"Huh?" Abigale asked, turning around. Just in that short time, little Abby had gone and done it again, getting distracted over the simplest of things. 

This time, you might ask?

A particularly-shaped rock that looked partial to heart in one of the many dips of the stone walkways. 

Grinning, she scooped it up and shoved it in both Alice and Charlie's faces, practically giggling like an idiot. "Ain't it cute? This is the perfect thing too-"

"Abby! Charlie! Come along, now - we must get home before Daddy does!"

The two kids looked back to their adoptive mother and nodded and darted back-

But not before looking back to their former maid and wishing her a very happy 'Merry Christmas!' as they ran off.

The woman shrugged softly, a stupidly-cute smile on her face as she started back on her way to the theater - her new job.

After the whole ordeal with pushing Bumby off the train for what he had done to her and her family, life itself had seemingly changed in a flash. When she had come back to the Home after what she had done, the children all looked at her with worriedly-shocked eyes, clearly scared and confused.

* * *

_"Dr. Bumby said you weren't ever comin' back!"_ said one of the kids, Jonas. 

When she asked him what he meant, the other kids chimed in, telling her that he sent her back to Rutledge for what she had done and that she was utterly hopeless and the very textbook definition of 'incurable' - hell, he had even sent her former orderlies after her!

Understandably horrified, the young woman looked around before asking them where they were - soon thankfully finding out that they had gone back to the asylum.

Soon after this, Alice raced upstairs and went through Bumby's office for any incriminating evidence she could find...

though, in the end, she really wished that she never even started to look, to begin with.

Deep within a cabinet near one of the windows, Alice found Bumby's journal. 

Looking through the well-worn thing, Alice found something that could only be described as 'gut-wrenching.' Every single page was a detailed ledger about him selling the children like they were nothing more than animals to be bought...

When she was about to close the journal, feeling like she was about to throw up, something big caught her emerald-green eyes.

_'My...name? '_

Alice snatched the book right up, and read it as her life depended on it, forcing herself to read each and every word, despite the urge to faint from the pure grossness of the text.

_The last half of the journal was all about her._

_Alice Liddell._

_He wanted me, just like Lizzie._

Alice stumbled back, the journal slipping from her now shaky hands. She took several short breaths, trying her best to stop herself from hyperventilating. 

This part of the journal was all about his thoughts and feelings towards her.

Most, if not all making her want to jump out of the nearest office window. 

It detailed how he hated her, for reminding him so much of her 'horrid' sister, and how hard it was not to 'use' her during their therapy sessions...

the farthest he had ever gotten to go was feeling her up while she was running around in Wonderland, and when she was asleep in her bed.

_'She's a tease, just like her sister. If I had my way, she would already be mine.'_

_'Lizzie deserved to die by my hand - if it weren't for me, then she would have horribly tortured some innocent souls, just like she had, mine.'_

_'Oh, how Lizzie would be rolling in her grave if she knew what I did to Alice when she slept.'_

_'i'll stop at nothing to take what's mine - Alice can't keep me away for much-'_

Alice had to stop reading after that. 

_"This...horrible, disgusting...THING of a man! H-How could he do this...? What did we ever do to him? Oh my God, he was touching me-"_ at this point, she couldn't take it anymore. It was too much.

She collapsed onto her knees and sobbed.

_"How can someone b-be so wretched?!"_ Alice moaned, tears streaming down her face as she ran her fingers through her ragged, charcoal-black hair. _"What happens to someone w-where it gets to this p-point?!"_

Upon hearing Alice's cries, the gaggle of children in the front foyer, waiting for whoever would come, had come running to the office in real, stomach-twisting worry. 

_"Miss Alice, what's wrong?"_ Charlie, one of the children that had always been there for a kind word, had asked. He rushed to her aide, and the Home's own pair of twins, Ruby and David, following in close pursuit. _"Is everythin' okay?"_

_"Did something happen?" _ Ruby and David asked together, taking a small step closer to the woman.

_"We heard you scream real loud!"_ Another girl, Sophie added.

Alice shook her head, tears spilling freely. _"No..."_ she whispered softly, getting off her knees and taking a seat on the floor, all the other kids doing the same._ "I'm just...I don't know what to say anymore."_

_"Is it about Dr. Bumby?"_ Jonas asked, taking sitting cross-legged next to the tearful girl. _"Did he hurt you, too?"_

_"You know about that? I mean, what he does to people?"_

All the kids in the room nodded.

_"You mean how first, someone acts away, and then afterward, they act all weird...? How he takes us to see those...people?"_ Sophie asked, suddenly looking like she was about to cry, too.

Alice nodded, shakily tucking a strand of hair behind an ear. 

_"Miss Alice, where's Dr. Bumby?"_

The room fell completely and utterly silent. 

_"Gone." _

The kids were all understandably shocked to hear the news, not knowing what to do with this information. They had all looked at each other, soon dispersing into little groups and talked amongst each other, trying to figure out what that even meant.

After a while, and several tissues later (given to Alice by Charlie), the kids finally turned back and bombarded her with questions.

_"Did he run off?"_ Ruby and David asked, their eyes wide with anticipation.

_"Did he disappear into thin air, like a ghost r' somethin'?"_

_"Did he just up and leave us, Miss Alice?"_

_"Did he die...?" _

Everyone paused, whipping there heads around at a lone figure standing just out the door

\- little, five-year-old Abigale, clutching her torn, nearly falling apart teddy. 

Alice nodded, resulting in a series of soft 'gasps' from the surrounding children._ "Yes...he's all gone now,"_ she started rather quietly, as she shakily got to her feet, awkwardly dusting her dirt-covered skirt. _"You don't h-have to worry about that...thing, anymore."_

_"He's not gonna hurt us no more?"_ Jonas asked, sitting up, grabbing ahold of Alice's leg._ "You really mean it?"_

Sophie quickly scrambled to her feet and raced to the woman, hugging her tightly. _"Is he gone forever, Miss Alice?"_

She bent down and hugged her back, nodding. _"Yes, dear. I promise."_

* * *

Alice shivered, remembering how scared everyone had been; the last few days, they were all together before the kids were all taken to a much, much better orphanage.

It was on the other side of town, where she knew for a fact that they'd be treated better. 

At the same time, Alice had been offered a well-paying job (to her it was, anyways)

as a stagehand at the theater in the nicer area of town by the couple that owned the place, feeling very much sympathetic for her after everything had happened.

She had been offered a job at the orphanage that the other kids were attending, and she had wanted to, but her nanny told her that it would be better if she got the job. After all, she was trying to get better, and the stagehand paid a bit more - she could get her own apartment!

Surprisingly, the kids were sad to see her go -

Several gave her hugs, and heart-felt drawings, just as she was about to take her bags down to the theater.

She returned all the hugs and thanked them, promising to see them when she was able to, and just like that, she was set off to begin her new life!

Alice pushed open the heavy, oak double-doors to the theater and made her way backstage, where her other co-workers were. 

She greeted them, giving them her usual smile as she walked into the room, soon getting a chorus of "Hello's!" and "Merry Christmas!" in reply. 

"You doing anything for Christmas, Liddell?" Nicola, one of the men she worked with as a fellow stagehand, asked with a grin. 

Nicola was one of the first people that she met when she had come here for the first time, after readily accepting the job offer. He had been waiting by the door, and quickly let her in, happily bombarding her with a whole horde of questions as he showed her around the place.

_'You ever work in theater before? - Lemme tell ya now, kid, that everyday workin' here is a blast! You'll get along with everyone, I just know it!'_ He said with a grin as he practically dragged her throughout the place, before being told by Pricilla, one of the main actresses, to stop "bullying" her.

So far, every single one of her co-workers had been nothing but lovely!

"Mhm...well, I haven't really thought about it much, truth be told. Probably splurge on a little something for myself, bring some candy 'round to the orphanage, eat a big dinner, do some crafts, and then read a book, or something!" Alice told the man, rushing over to him with a friendly grin.

"Oh, really? That sounds like a pretty good time! What are you planning on making for a craft?"

"Not sure yet - but something that 'screams' Christmas! I'll probably save it for next year...so I have more decorations."

"How many you got now?" Nicola asked, opening up a nearby box full of new props, Alice following his lead.

It was silent for a second as they both looked over props, making sure they were perfect before putting them in a pile, signifying that they were good to go.

"Several! But not as much as I'd like. I'll make sure to save up, for more in time for next Christmas!" she said, looking over a prop before dropping it in the 'good' pile. "How's Elenara doing? Is she getting that dolly she wanted, in the Collodi's Toyshop window? She practically goes nuts every time we pass!"

Little Elenara Carmela Rosso was, in all honesty, one of Alice's favorite people in the world! - That and Nicola, her father. Ever since Alice started working for the theater, out of everyone, Nicola and Elenara had always been there for her, no matter what - and it meant the world.

They always seemed to be at her place, and earlier in the year, they all had planned to have Christmas together...

until Nicola's father got sick, so they had to leave to get on the next boat to Italy in less than two days - thus subsequently destroying their plans in the process.

Nicola grinned, putting a finger to his lips before retreating to a nearby closet, and with him, a red and green papered box in his hands. He opened it, revealing the beautiful nutcracker doll Elenara had wanted for a while. "Don't tell her when she comes by from after school!"

"I wouldn't dream of it! My big sister Lizzie did the same to me once, and I've never been the same!" Alice said with a small giggle, before telling the young man to close his eyes. 

Nicola gave her a suspicious look but did it anyways. "No tricks, _signorina!_" 

"Tricks? Nicola, good sir, since when have I ever tricked anyone?"

"Have you met yourself, _Tesoro?!" _

"Hey, don't call me, sweetheart!"

"You gonna pay me?"

"What am I, bloody Queen Victoria?"

"Mhmm.....maybe."

"O-Oh, you!" Alice stuttered, shaking her head with a sigh. "Stay here for a second, Rosso! Or else!"

"Or else what?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Nicola smiled cheekily, his eyes still closed as he crossed his arms. "Yes," he said, trying his best to hide his incoming laughter the best he could - but failing miserably. "Yes, I do-"

"Well, you'll just have to wait!" Alice said with a giggle, before scurrying off to a nearby area in the auditorium and coming back with a small box, awkwardly wrapped, with a brown string holding it together. "Now, open!"

Nicola opened his eyes, a smile gracing his lips as soon as he saw the thing. "Ali'...you got me something...?"

"Of course, Nicola. We're friends, aren't we? Ooh, I almost forgot!" Alice dug around in her coat pocket before handing him another small gift. "This is for Elenara. Tell her she's only allowed to open it on Christmas morning - not today, and not a day after! Oh, that goes for you too! Got it?"

He stood there for a while, smiling like an idiot, before putting them in his pockets and giving her a bone-crushing hug. "Ah, Ali', you never cease to be nothing but _stupefacente_ to my daughter and me! I always feel like such a loser for not still being able to return favors as quick as you, or give as good of gifts!"  
  


"C-Can't..._breathe!"_

"Oh, _spiacente,_ Ali'!" Nicola chuckled awkwardly, letting the girl go, and thus, finally allowing her to take a deep breath. "I didn't mean to-"

Alice shook her head, smiling softly. "No, no, it's okay, Nicola. You mean well - and about the presents/favors ordeal, I assure you, it's completely fine!"

* * *

"I hope you like your present, Alice! But don't open it until you get home, ok?" Elenara demanded, a smirk forming on her face as she pointed to the wrapped package that was currently in Alice's arms.

She, Nicola, and Elenara made their way down the many steps of the theater, leading back onto the sidewalk, laughing as they tried to play a game of avoiding the cracks in their path.

"I promise, Ellie, not a peek!"

"You sure? 'Cause last time you didn't!"

Alice shrugged, chuckling softly. "I was too curious, what can I say - I couldn't help it!

"Oh, yes, you could. Little _Tesoro_ here just doesn't know what _pazienza_ means," Nicola said with a laugh, playfully pushing the younger woman to the side, earning him a light-hearted scowl.

"Shut your mouth, you bloody addle pate! Yes, I do!" Alice argued, holding a grin back.

"Uh-huh, Ali', I'll believe it when I see it."

'Tch'ing softly, Alice slowed her walking pace, just enough for Elenara and Nicola to get in front of her, and then BAM! - with a big push, she caught him off guard so much so, that he tripped into a pile of white, fluffy snow. 

"Haaaaa! Alice got you, Papa!" Elenara giggled softly as she ran over to Nicola to help him up.

"Ellie, why are you helping him up? He can get up on his own- besides, he bullied me!"

"No, he can't! He's like a million years old. If I don't help him, then we'll be here forever - wait, you're coming over for Christmas as you promised, right?"

"I'm only twenty-four! That's barely anything!"

"No, it's not; you're like a grandpa!"

Alice stood there, a soft sigh escaping her pale-pink lips, staring numbly at the carefully-wrapped present in her arms.

Elenara grinned, giving her papa a hand, and helping him up, Nicola thanking the girl before scooping up a pile of snow and tossing it - aiming it for Elenara. It missed, due to her ducking, and she bent down, grabbing a fistful of snow herself, before pelting it back. "Hey!"

As this went on, Alice awkwardly looked up, not knowing what to say. _'She knows, doesn't she? That we can't, because of Giovanni? Didn't Nicola tell her...?'_ she thought as she stuffed her hands in her coat. 

"Alice, are you 'kay?" Elenara asked, a few minutes later, after she and Nicola had finished up playing around. "You look really sad..."

Alice shook her head, sighing softly. "No, it's alright. It's just that...we're not spending Christmas together like we were going to."

"What...? But I thought - I thought you could! I know we have to leave the day after Christmas, but can't we...?"

"The packing would take too much time, dear," Nicola said suddenly, putting a gentle hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"But Papa! I really, really _wanted_ to do it!"

Alice walked over to Elenara, taking her hands out of her pockets, and enveloped the young girl in a hug. "I'll tell you what, Ellie. How about we do Christmas again when you lot come back in March?"

She let the girl go, and finally getting a look at her face after a second - it was clear that she was _ecstatic. _

_"Christmas?! In March?"_

"Mhm-hm!"

"You really, really mean it, Alice? Really?"

"I promise!" 

Elenara whipped her head to her father, practically shaking with excitement. "Oh, Papa! Can we can we?!"

Laughing, Nicola nodded in agreement. "But of course, my dear. It'll be a wonderful time - sadly, though, there'll be no snow!"

"Does it really matter, Nicola?" Alice asked with a soft giggle, playfully booping him on the nose, which earned her a grin.

"Nah, I'm just sayin'!" He said with a smile, shaking his head. 

"So, we'll get together and have our little Christmas party in early March - send me a letter with a possible good date, alright?"

"I promise, I will - it's a date, Tesoro!"

"Stop calling me that, Nicola - it's Alice!"

"Oh, pish-posh, lady. I call you whatever I want!"

* * *

Laying down on her couch, her head resting on her armrest, Alice closed her eyes with a tiny sigh escaping her lips. 

Today had gone precisely how she had expected.

It was busy, loud, and good...and...well, _lonely._

But how could it possibly be lonely? The day was filled with people, especially the people she felt dear to her heart...but even then, she had a sort of hole in her heart that no matter what couldn't be filled.

_'Mama...Papa...Lizzie...If they were here, what would they be doing?'_ Alice wondered, looking up to the ceiling. 

Even though she had accepted what had happened, she still couldn't help but wallow in her pain from time to time - while she returned home to nothing but a stuffed rabbit _(Nicola had gotten it back for her months prior, and for that, she had since felt like she practically owed him her life)_, while everyone else had a family to come back to.

Parents, siblings, spouses, children, cousins, aunts uncles, grandparents, nieces, nephews, pets.

Everyone, seemingly, at the very least, had someone to come back to.

Someone they could hug, and be greeted after a tiring day.

Someone they could tell all their problems to, and get advice and encouraging words.

Someone that would return a smile.

Someone that could comfort you when you hurt.

She supposed that she had Nicola and Elenara, but...they were _different._

They were close, yes, but it was still different.

They had only known each other for over several months, and she loved them - if Nicola asked her to stay with them, she would. If he proposed_ (God knows he wouldn't, but a girl could dream, couldn't she?)_ she wouldn't hesitate to say yes...but she doubted they would ever get that close.

She was just a family friend, after all.

_'A family friend...'_ She thought, letting 

Every single day, no matter how good or bad, ached.

All Alice ever wanted, was after a long, hard day was someone to come back to.

It didn't know what or who it was, just...someone.

She felt something wet on her cheek and raised her hand to wipe it - soon realizing that it was -_ 'Tears...'_ Alice thought, sitting up. 

Alice got up from her seat and went to her room, grabbing a hanky and wiping it away, many, many tears following afterward. She sat down on her bed and curled up into a ball, taking the time to, for the first time in months, let it all out.

So she laid there, crying- no, sobbing, for what seemed like an eternity. 

No matter how hard she tried to wipe them away and get over it, she just couldn't.

It hurt too horribly.

"O-Oh, Lizzie, what did we do to deserve this...?"Alice moaned pitifully, tears like pearls streaming down her face. "It's not bloody fair...w-why can't you, Mama and Papa s-still be here?"

She let out a blood-curdling scream, unable to hold in her hot, bubbling anger in anymore. 

Every one of her painful emotions seeped out like an overflowing river, unable to be stopped. 

**_"WHY CAN'T YOU STILL BE HERE?! BY THE LOVE OF GOD, WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ME ALONE, LIZZIE?!"_ **Alice hollowed painfully, tears flowing like an unforgiving rainstorm. _**"ALL I WANT IS NOT TO BE ALONE, ANYMORE! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO FUCKING BLOODY ASK?!" **_

_"She didn't choose to leave you, Alice. You know that very well, my dear."_

Alice gasped, and look up, her emerald-green eyes now swollen, red, and puffy. 

She looked around the room, snot and tears dripping down her face like a faucet, clearly a bit fucking terrified. "What t-the hell? Who's there?! I won't hesitate to beat your bloody arse, now get out where I can see you!" She said rather loudly, quickly scrambling to her feet, her fists ready to punch the lights out of whoever had come into her apartment uninvited.

_"Alice, I don't think you calling me profanities, or hitting me will solve anything,"_ The voice stated rather matter-of-factly, before revealing...a seemingly-normal, grey cat with black stripes, and the most piercing golden-yellow eyes you've ever seen. 

_'Chess...?'_

Alice stared at the cat for a bit, dropping her fists in shock. The woman nervously took a few steps forward before dropping to her knees. "Cat is that you...? By God, you look nothing like yourself! How did this happen...?" she asked the grey cat, clearly flabbergasted. 

The cat padded softly to the girl, and readily put his head under the girl's hand, awaiting touch. 

Hesitantly, Alice put her hand forward, and barely grazed the cat's soft grey fur, before the cat rubbed her hand, leading her to actually pet him. 

"O-Oh...how could this be...?" The girl wondered allowed, carefully scratching Cheshire behind the ears, causing the somehow-now fluffy(?) thing to purr. 

She scooped the cat into her lap, continuing to pet him as gently as she could, savoring each and every second he was in her arms. "As irritating as you are, puss, I sure did miss you."

_"Is that just because I'm not skin and bones anymore, Alice?"_ Cheshire asked, which sounded like a smirk - only he wasn't. 

_'In this way...er, form, I suppose he can't grin? Geez, what are the odds?'_ A sniffling Alice thought, carefully stroking his soft downy fur. "How did you get here...? I didn't think anyone could leave Wonderland...am I just hallucinating this?"

Cheshire looked at Alice, shaking his head. _"No. I assure you, this is real. Sometimes, our minds are so powerful that what we want the most truly does come about. The only thing your 'hallucinating' - if you can even call it that, is me speaking."_

"Isn't what you able to do, is telepathy?"

_"I'd like to think so. yes."_ Cheshire confirmed as he let out yet another happy purr, contently snuggling up to the charcoal-haired woman. 

Alice giggled sweetly, leaning over, and playfully nuzzled her nose with his. "You look adorable. You know that, right?"

_"Oh, shut it, you-"_

She shook her head, grinning as she hugged him lightly and stood up. Alice smiled at nothing particular, letting out a tiny sigh, making her way to the nearby bed, and taking a seat.

Alice rested Cheshire on her lap and continued to pet the cat, watching the snowfall from outside her window.

Watching the beautiful, tiny flakes illuminating by nothing more than the silver moon, it was almost as if the two were in a trance.

"Are you going to leave, puss...?"

_"And leave you alone, my dear? How could I do such a thing to Wonderland's Queen? Our mother?"_ Cheshire asked, finally able to snap his gaze from the wintry scene outside to his dear Alice. _"Unthinkable...I came here to grant a wish, and I plan to fulfill it."_

"What wish, puss I don't remember any-"

  
'Chuckling' softly, Cheshire shook his head and gave Alice what could be a 'smile.' _"Really, dear? You wish it almost every night, whenever there's a wishing star, out and about. I'm sure you still believe in magic, don't you?"_

"If I didn't, then honestly, I don't know how I would survive through this wretched life," Alice admitted, stroking the cat's fur once more. "Without it would be close to unbearable-" 

She cut herself off, eyes wide in complete shock and utter disbelief. 

"Wait...no, it can't be-" Alice looked down to Cheshire, and then back to her uncurtained bedroom window, noticing a beautiful, blindingly-white star. "My wish..."

For as long as Alice could remember, all she had ever wanted was a family 

In the back of her head, that's all she could ever think about...she had always told herself to stop believing in such foolishness

\- after all, who would ever want to be near Alice enough to consider her family?

Who would want a madwoman?

She was _nothing,_ and for that, she wouldn't get _anything._

For as long as she could remember, she had always known of a star you could wish upon that would grant anything, just as so long as you had hoped_. _

She wanted to believe it. Still, for as long as she had at least some type of sanity, she could never really bring herself to test such a seemingly childish thing out, until yesterday, in the dead of night.

There, she had sat on her bed with her hands folded, on her knees. 

_"Starlight, star bright...first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish, I might...have the wish I make tonight."_

At the time, she felt like the dumbest, most stupid woman on the planet wishing on a star like that. Still, by gosh, she couldn't help it - it had been a last-ditch effort, to finally, for once in her life, not come home to _nothing. _

...and it _worked._

_Cheshire was real._

_He was here._

_HE WAS IN HER LAP, LIVING AND BREATHING - A REAL CAT, FOR PETE'S SAKE!_

She started to cry, holding the cat close. "...It came true."

_'I used to think wishing for anything was stupid. Childish. It wouldn't solve a thing - can't get you anywhere. I was wrong...so bloody wrong. I have Chess' now, and I think, finally, for the first time in forever, I'll be alright while I'm all alone until they come back.'_

_'Heh...Elenara will die when she sees Cheshire. She loves cute things...as one should, I suppose."_

**Author's Note:**

> signorina - miss  
tesoro - sweetheart/treasure  
stupefacente - amazing  
spiacente - sorry  
pazienza - patience
> 
> Side note: Apologies if this one-shot is kind of wack as fuck, I'm running on fumes so this is just crackhead energy at this point and im just - 
> 
> fiwhfiwejofwefew


End file.
